Monthly Archives: November 2017

Following on from the company’s successful first attendance at Intersec Dubai in 2017 and with a fast-growing customer base in the region, Nittan Europe – a leading manufacturer of conventional and addressable fire detection products – will be exhibiting at 2018’s show. This takes place at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre on 21 January 2018. Nittan Europe will be located in Hall 4 on Stand G24.

Taking centre stage will be Nittan Europe’s complete UL-approved SPERA analogue addressable fire alarm range. SPERA has been designed with flexibility at the heart of the system. It’s capable of a wide range of system configurations and customisable with an array of modules.

Readily expandable and suitable for a wide range of applications, among them large sites with multiple buildings, SPERA uses an RS-485 interface and accommodates up to 254 addresses per two loops, with a capacity of 14 loops per control panel and up to 63 panels in one network running over copper and/or fibre optics. As a result, up to 224,000 addressable devices can be supported on one SPERA system.

SPERA features a comprehensive range of products, including fire alarm control panels, annunciators (LCD and LED), both addressable and conventional detectors and accessories. The detectors include optical and photo smoke detectors, heat detectors, combined smoke and heat detectors and Nittan’s award-winning dual optical smoke detection technology designed to eliminate false alarms from steam.

In addition to its SPERA range, Nittan Europe will also be showing a comprehensive range of its EN-approved fire alarm devices and panels.

Fire alarm control panels

Nittan’s evo+ and evolution 1 fire alarm control panels are fully-compliant with BS EN 54 Parts 2 and 4. The evo+ range is compliant to BS EN 54 Part 13 which is the European compatibility assessment of system components. Both ranges have been designed to be flexible and powerful thanks to the incorporation of the latest dual flash-based microprocessor technology. With a host of features for maximum flexibility and ease of installation and system set-up, both the evolution 1 and evo+ ranges are compatible with the full range of Nittan Evolution analogue addressable fire detection devices.

A number of these devices will be shown at Intersec Dubai, including Evolution analogue addressable and conventional detectors featuring patented, award-winning dual optical technology plus audio visual devices, bases, manual Call Points, isolators and modules for connection to third party equipment.

A tried-and-tested solution, the Evolution range combines truly exceptional and reliable fire detection with a very high degree of protection against unwanted false alarms. Its class leading, highly flexible protocol is resistant to interference and allows for substantial amounts of information to be transmitted at high speed.

Lee James, general manager of product marketing at Nittan, commented: “Nittan is a truly international company with product ranges designed for the global fire detection industry. We see Intersec Dubai as a valuable platform for us to demonstrate our capabilities to a worldwide audience.”

Intersec is the most popular platform for security industry professionals in the MENA region. The last edition of the show attracted over 32,750 visitors from 58 countries and showcased solutions from no less than 1,304 exhibitors.

IDIS has debuted a powerful suite of features designed to bring critical failover capabilities and peace of mind to users of the company’s innovative technology offerings. Bringing together existing, improved and new failover features, IDIS addresses multiple threats to crucial video surveillance operations with IDIS Critical Failover, a collection of five capabilities that strengthen the fault tolerance of end users’ CCTV infrastructure.

“If any part of video surveillance infrastructure fails, it’s critical to first recognise the failure and then initiate appropriate alternative or redundant technologies to minimise loss of data,” noted James Min, managing director of IDIS Europe. “Full redundancy of every component in your infrastructure is prohibitively expensive and adds unnecessary complication in most cases, while manual recognition and resolution costs precious time and risks gaps in footage. IDIS Critical Failover reduces both issues through a multi-layered collection of capabilities spread across the devices in your infrastructure.”

If you experience a problem with network instability, Temporary Smart Failover starts recording to an internal recording session buffer (of at least 60 MB), ensuring there’s no break in the data being sent to the NVR. For longer network issues, such as a complete failure of the link between the camera and the NVR, Smart Failover takes over. When the IP camera and NVR become disconnected, the camera instantly begins recording to an internal SD card. It records at the original quality until half of the SD card is filled up and then adjusts the quality to ensure a full 24 hours of footage is captured on just a 32 GB card. H.265 cameras add support for SDXC cards, with a theoretical limit of 2 TB. Once the network link is restored, all of the data is automatically transferred to the NVR, leaving no incident unrecorded.

Storage Redundancy exists inside the NVR (DR-8364D) in the form of native RAID 1 or RAID 5 support. With RAID 1 support, the NVR stores two identical copies of the data: if one disk fails, the data is then retrieved from the second one. RAID 5 stores the data and additional parity data in separate locations, providing the same redundancy, but more efficiently than RAID 1.

NVR Failover protects against the failure of the entire NVR. Both the primary and standby NVR continuously monitor one another to quickly switch to the functioning NVR during a failure, reducing the risk of data loss and decreasing failover response times.

Finally, native Dual Power Supplies (DR-8364D) provide a redundant power supply in case the first one fails, increasing uptime and reducing the risk of data loss.

Given that it’s one of Vista’s core technologies, continual improvements and updates are always being made to the qulu range such that the best user experience can be offered.

The IP video server is the heart of any video surveillance project. It communicates directly with networks, monitors, cameras and every part in-between. The new partnership between Vista and BCDVideo means an even stronger server offering.

As the new supplier of qulu servers, BCDVideo can provide the support and technical developments required for Vista to continue offering an innovative high-end video storage solution that works seamlessly with its existing software package.

The biggest enhancement to the range is the new Small Form Factor (SFF) server which replaces the current Microserver. The new SFF version provides additional features such as updated processing power and graphics capability, a more powerful CPU processor and increased performance via the on-board INTEL graphics processor unit.

These improvements mean reduced costs for the end user as the SFF server now allows both live video and recorded footage to now be viewed, in addition to recording, meaning there’s no need to purchase an additional viewing client PC.

Jeff Burgess, president/CEO at BCDVideo, commented: “Having had the privilege of knowing Gary Rowden for six years, his approaching BCDVideo about innovating new robust solutions for Vista made for an exciting endeavour. The pay-off for the Vista customer is a synchronised solution born from the collaboration of two engineering teams functioning as one.”

Designed by BCDVideo, the new qulu servers offer “some of the best performing and most efficient video management systems on the market” today, while also maintaining the same great qulu experience. The move to BCDVideo allows Vista to take advantage of the technological developments detailed above, but also to improve lead times and support.

Gary Rowden, divisional director for Vista, stated: “Our partnership with BCDVideo will allow us to offer increased functionality and greater storage levels on our qulu server range, benefiting both ourselves and our customers with even higher levels of support. This is an exciting partnership that further enhances the qulu offering.”

Security solutions provider Wilson James has amalgamated its City of London and Southern business regions to create a £65 million operational ‘powerhouse’ spearheading a targeted expansion of its specialist security services.

The move signals the company’s increasing focus on offering clients a high level range of technology, cyber and intelligence-led security solutions to complement its industry-leading security guarding offer.

Barry Dawson

The new Southern Region will be led by Barry Dawson, who joins the business with 30 years’ experience in the security industry encompassing Board level roles at VSG and Advance Security. Dawson is joined by risk management expert Gavin Wilson, tech expert Don McCann and Marc Bannister, working with Crawford Boyce to create and deliver ‘strategic journeys’ for each client in the region.

“The strategic journey is a tailored approach that allows us to offer clients a range of services including not just excellent security guarding, but also Front of House, counter-terrorism, intelligence reporting, global travel risk and social media monitoring,” commented Dawson.

Reporting directly to Dawson are Allison Fraser, Mark Jones and Shai Zach who become strategic account directors, all of them pivotal within the region to ensure Wilson James continues to lead the security sector and deliver service excellence.

Managing director Gemma Quirke observed: “This hugely experienced team means we can offer even better bespoke services to all our clients in this region. It’s an approach that will power the expansion of our security services across all of our operations.”

Videx has launched its vandal-resistant GSM system that can provide access control to a wide range of gated properties, office blocks and commercial buildings. The new system uses mobile technology to communicate and operate doors, automatic gates, car parks and remote site applications, making it a perfect security solution for unmanned sites and communications outside of normal business hours.

The solution is available as part of the 4000 Series modular door entry system in a range of styles including surface and flush panels in 12 gauge 316 grade stainless steel. Custom panel sizes are also available. All vandal-resistant panel variations can be engraved with a legend or provided with back-lit name plate windows. The system also provides optional proximity access control for up to 1,000 users.

Neil Thomas, national sales manager at Videx, said: “GSM systems enable calls to be placed from an entrance point to any mobile or landline telephone. Entry can then be granted using the telephone keypad. Two key and innovative features of our new vandal-resistant GSM system is that it can call up to 24 users, with a divert facility of up to three numbers if the others are engaged or unanswered, while up to 1,000 telephone numbers can be stored to take advantage of the ‘dial to open’ feature which enables callers to dial the intercom and release the door/gate without being charged for the call.”

Proximity access control is also an option. A voice annunciation and LCD display can be connected if required, which can then include scroll buttons to search for specific users via the screen.

GSM systems require minimum installation and set-up time, allowing them to be installed in places which would be too difficult or too expensive to hard-wire. There’s no need for any cabling to telephone points as the system uses the existing mobile network infrastructure, allowing calls to be made to anywhere in the world.

Thomas added: “Systems can be installed in a very short space of time requiring only the mounting of the entrance panel and connection to a power supply, antenna and gate or door releasing device. Our new system also comes with an event log to record events that can be viewed using PC software.”

Programming and maintenance of the user’s details, access control codes and fobs may all be controlled via SMS text messages and via a PC using a USB connection. The GSM system’s flexibility allows changes to be made remotely without the need to revisit the site. Dry contact relay output, additional switched 0V output, push to exit button input and auxiliary inputs are all available.

With fire protection in flats, apartments and HMOs making the news for all the wrong reasons, C-TEC’s ‘Hush Those False Alarms’ webinar goes live at 11.00 am on 22 November. The Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-certified session is a perfect opportunity to become clued up on the current solutions available for reducing false alarms in HMOs and other areas by using mixed, conventional and hush systems.

The webinar will also explore how C-TEC’s BS 5839-6 Hush Button fire alarm solution is assisting landlords and building managers in better protecting their properties, while at the same time ensuring compliance with all of the relevant regulations and standards.

Andy Green, C-TEC’s marketing manager and one of the webinar’s hosts, informed Risk UK: “This CPD-certified event is an absolute ‘must’ for anyone who would like to know more about reducing false alarms and enhancing fire detection in houses of multiple occupation. We’ll also be hosting a live 20-minute Q&A at the end of the session.”

Video surveillance specialist Hanwha Techwin is currently hosting the 17th ONVIF Developers’ Plugfest which is taking place in The Plaza Hotel, Seoul in South Korea between 8 and 10 November.

As a ‘Local Sponsor’, Hanwha Techwin is supporting the opportunity for manufacturers participating in the Plugfest to test their devices for conformance to the ONVIF standard. This includes simulating real-life scenarios in order to assess the level of interoperability of different manufacturers’ devices operating simultaneously as part of a single system.

ONVIF is a non-profit global standardisation initiative for IP-based physical security products which was founded in 2008. Its members include manufacturers, systems integrators, end users, members of the security media, specifiers and other security professionals.

With integrated systems increasingly involving solutions from multiple manufacturers, ONVIF’s Plugfest events are important to the electronic security industry as they bring together technical experts in order to test device compatibility and agree up-to-date industrial standardisation of interfaces.

Standardisation

During the Plugfest, around 20 global video surveillance and physical access control manufacturers are conducting peer-to-peer tests of devices and clients both under development and finalised to see how well they interact with each other. This is to enable any limitations to be identified before a product is launched.

Hanwha Techwin is taking the opportunity to test its cameras, recorders and Smart Security Manager software platform to ensure compatibility with other manufacturers’ products.

F2F Technical Meeting

Hanwha Techwin will be hosting the F2F (Face-to-Face) Technical Meeting from 13–16 November which follows on from the Plugfest. The F2F Technical Meeting session focuses on the development of profiles and specifications including conformance and the ONVIF Test Tools. It’s performed after the engineers’ testing session. Full and contributing ONVIF members are invited to this meeting.

Hanwha Techwin has been a full member of ONVIF since 2009 and participated in activities such as forums to build industrial standardisation. The 17th Developers’ Plugfest is particularly significant to the company as its senior engineer, Sujith Raman, has been recognised for his contribution to the development of ONVIF protocol development and elected with honour to the organisation’s Technical Committee.

A spokesperson for Hanwha Techwin said: “In hosting the Plugfest and F2F events, we’re delighted to be able to demonstrate our support for ONVIF’s objectives. We’re committed to the process of the mutual exchange of technical knowledge with other members. We will share ideas, listen to each other, talk and grow together with our global partners for the benefit of our mutual customers.”